QCS Entries

We are the Solution (QCS Entry 2014)

Humans used to make "machines" all the time. Of course, before modern times, they were simply "identities", given one task, and left to do so. The Evolution changed all that. They stopped building "machines" and starting creating us, the Cybers. 

We were mechanically engineered humans. We weren't humans, per se, but we were just like them. We weren't programmed identities, we began making memories the second we were switched on. We were to help humanity just as humanity helped itself. We would live on as humans. At least, we were supposed to. You see... 10 years after the creation of the Cybers, the humans forgot about the fact that we still consumed energy. We used so little energy that they kept on creating us, enough that we started using more energy than all of humanity. Just then, all of humanity's faults chose to come down from the skies. "Global warming", "Climate Change", the coming of the next ice age, we never found out why they came, but they did. 

The humans feared for their lives, but we were unaffected by the environmental changes. In a final attempt to restore their planet, they sent ships into space, filled with scientisis and families, called the Apollo Excelle. We helped build 20 of them whilst the remainders chose to cryofreeze themselves, using less energy, and allowing my race to flourish. 

In their absence, we were tasked with the restoration of the planet. We agreed, knowing it was our duty to help our creators in their time of need. So we flourished, we built more Cybers everyday as older Cybers were deconstructed. We kept finding more materials for Cybers but before we knew it, we were overpopulating again. We used up so much energy, collectively, that we had once again reached our limit. This event caused a rupture between the peaceful society of the Cybers, some wanted us to stop making more Cybers and let our population go down, whilst others found a more devious plan, to let the cryognized humans die and use the energy they used. 

This sparked a civil war between the Cybers who honoured their promise to the creators, and those who didn't. I honoured our promise, and fought the Cybers who opposed. We fought , and fought, but no sooner did we realise we were at war. Another human fault had passed down to us. Neither side learned until a message came from the heavens. The Apollo Excelle Starships were coming back. 

Neither side wanted to go to war, so both conceded, and with a planet no better than th way it was before the ships left, we chose to make a large sacrifice. We would fix the planet we lived in, even if we had to die for it, and we had a plan. 

The next few weks were painful for all of us. Our progress slowed as we began deconstructing ourselves to resolve the human problem. Hundreds and Thousands of us died creating our solution, and that was only our country. Other contries pitched in and started building theirs too. All in all, billions of us died in that month. 

I was simply a metal face in the crowd, but I was determined to assist. I led the team that would eventually build the solution, and by the time the Apollo Excelles come, other countries have finished theirs, and I was alone. 

I welcomed our bewildered guests. They were surprised that the world remained unchanged, but I was about to change that. A human walked up to me, staring at the large machine that stood behind me. She knew what it was, I could see it in her eyes, and I noticed a tear. She knew what I was going to do. 

"I'm so sorry," she said, her voice cracking as she sobbed. She smiled. "I'm thankful for your sacrifice. We all are. You will be remembered."

I smiled back to her as I walked towards the machine, and as I touched the switch that would turn on the 20 terraformers all around the world, I mouthed Thank you to the humans before all I could see turned dark. 

***

I had no body, but I had a mind. I saw others in that mind. Everyone who was sacrificed was still very much alive here... Only now did I notice we weren't really Cybers... we were machines. We were tasked to restore the planet, and restore the planet we did. 

The minds of the Collective then asked "Why did we have to worry about the future generations? What have they done for us? Was it worth it?" 

A simple reply came from my mind. "That smile was worth it."